Legal Weed In The USA?

[Ziaelas]

I believe research showed Cannabis smoking causes schizophrenia, and will addict you and cause plenty of problems in later life. It is also a "gateway drug" in that after experiencing Cannabis, you'll want to take "worse" (for lack of a better word) drugs, which would get you put in prison. If Cannabis was legalised in Britain, the government would have to tax its buyers to death to pay for the health costs. I oppose the legalization of cannabis, it ruins lives. I don't think anyone can come up with a real reason to legalize cannabis, as "alcohol is legal, therefore Cannabis should be too" is a completely unfounded comparison, which does not make sense when you think about it.

[Reverend Joe]

I believe research showed Cannabis smoking causes schizophrenia, and will addict you and cause plenty of problems in later life. It is also a "gateway drug" in that after experiencing Cannabis, you'll want to take "worse" (for lack of a better word) drugs, which would get you put in prison. If Cannabis was legalised in Britain, the government would have to tax its buyers to death to pay for the health costs. I oppose the legalization of cannabis, it ruins lives. I don't think anyone can come up with a real reason to legalize cannabis, as "alcohol is legal, therefore Cannabis should be too" is a completely unfounded comparison, which does not make sense when you think about it.

Holy hell... I never thought I would run into someone who believes all that crap...

Okay:

Extensive, unbiased research has shown:
-Grass does not cause schizophrenia or any other mental illness.
-It is not a gateway drug; if you want to go onto harder things, you are going to, whether you use grass or not. Not everybody who rides the Turkish Gravy Train started out on grass.
-There is no way in hell that Cannabis ruins lives, unless you smoke massive quantities- and even then, its effects are not as severe as alcohol. (And THAT is the foundation of the pot-alcohol argument.)

[Prodigal]

Legal Weed In The USA? I can only wonder, does it matter? No, because in the UK you can have a 4oz for personal use AND YOU WON'T GET NICKED!

HUZZZAAHHHH!

gahh 200 posts, guess I better bugger off for a year or so, I'm way over quota

[doc_bean]

Holy hell... I never thought I would run into someone who believes all that crap...

Okay:

Extensive, unbiased research has shown:
-Grass does not cause schizophrenia or any other mental illness.
-It is not a gateway drug; if you want to go onto harder things, you are going to, whether you use grass or not. Not everybody who rides the Turkish Gravy Train started out on grass.
-There is no way in hell that Cannabis ruins lives, unless you smoke massive quantities- and even then, its effects are not as severe as alcohol. (And THAT is the foundation of the pot-alcohol argument.)

I knew 2 people, one through the internet and one in real life, whose lives would have been very different if it wasn't for pot.
The internet friend had stated pretty early with pot, and showed typical slacker signs, he was extremely intelligent but his grades (uni) were rather poor. So far, not too much to be concerned about, however, at a certain point he became paranoid, a while later he started seeing things and a while later we lost contact. I don't know what happened to him, or if it really was the pot (he at least thought it had something to do with it) or if he ever got back around, but he certainly seemed like a lost cause last time I saw him.
The real life friend, was very ambitious, also pretty smart, and had finsihed about a year and half of uni (all good grades) before he took up smoking pot heavily (he might have tried it a few times before). Last time I saw him he was going to get permission to try his second year for the third time (the one he had half-completed), I don't think he got the permission. We had a bit of a (verbal) fight back then...

I know several people who had to repeat grades because their stoner habits interferred with their studies (which really weren't that hard). The sad thing is that these were almost always *smart* kids, the type who could get good grades with the least bit of effort.

I smoked pot for a little while (about half a year, not often or much) and I needed surgery near the end of that period because a certain, tought stable, condition suddenly got a lot worse. I'm pretty sure the pot had something to do with it.

Don't believe the hype, pot isn't as innocent as some people would like you to believe.

Let democracy decide, it's no worse than alochol.

[Geoffrey S]

I knew 2 people, one through the internet and one in real life, whose lives would have been very different if it wasn't for pot.
The internet friend had stated pretty early with pot, and showed typical slacker signs, he was extremely intelligent but his grades (uni) were rather poor. So far, not too much to be concerned about, however, at a certain point he became paranoid, a while later he started seeing things and a while later we lost contact. I don't know what happened to him, or if it really was the pot (he at least thought it had something to do with it) or if he ever got back around, but he certainly seemed like a lost cause last time I saw him.

The real life friend, was very ambitious, also pretty smart, and had finsihed about a year and half of uni (all good grades) before he took up smoking pot heavily (he might have tried it a few times before). Last time I saw him he was going to get permission to try his second year for the third time (the one he had half-completed), I don't think he got the permission. We had a bit of a (verbal) fight back then...

Aren't these both cases of smoking excessive amounts? Most people wouldn't go that far, certainly not those I know. Personally I'm not certain what's cause and effect; does smoking pot get one into the stoner group of people, or does getting involved with the stoner group cause one to smoke excessive amounts of pot?

I'm not going to argue that it's harmless; it isn't, much like (the cliche comparison) alcohol isn't. But adults are old enough to decide for themselves and should be treated as such. It's my own responsibility that if I decide to try it I keep myself in hand, and taking that responsibility is my right.

[doc_bean]

Aren't these both cases of smoking excessive amounts?

Probably, but everyone starts small. Thinking about it, I think i actually know more people that have had problems with weed than with alcohol. But once you quit weed you really quit, it's a lot harder with alochol I've heard.

Most people wouldn't go that far, certainly not those I know. Personally I'm not certain what's cause and effect; does smoking pot get one into the stoner group of people, or does getting involved with the stoner group cause one to smoke excessive amounts of pot?

Both were pretty much lone stoners actually. The social stoners that I know now don't have any problems, although that was different in high school.

I'm not going to argue that it's harmless; it isn't, much like (the cliche comparison) alcohol isn't. But adults are old enough to decide for themselves and should be treated as such. It's my own responsibility that if I decide to try it I keep myself in hand, and taking that responsibility is my right.

I do agree with that on principle. However, having spent too much time reading posts by Americans, I can't help but wonder how much weed is costing my society. All those years of school that need to be repeated (or simply are repeated if it's higher education) cost quite a bit of money. And there is the higher risk of cancer (for the non-bong users) which will probably cost our healthcare system a lot, especially since I also know quite a few people who picked up smoking as a side effect of using pot.

I didn't really explain my point in the last post. I'm either for the complete ban of cannabis and related products (except for medical use, or for things like clothes) or the complete acceptance of it. I think the current situation we have here, a 'tolerance' for drugs is pretty hypocritical, and more importantly, damaging since it's stay in the grey area allows for a lot of myth surrounding the use. If caanabis use were common in a society, that society would be able to cope with most of the related problems. e.g. parents would recognize when their kid was stoned and if it happens too often they could intervene in a non-hysterical way.
The question is, do we, as a society, want to take on all the associated problems so a few people can have their little pleasure ? That's why I say we should decide on this democraticly.

[Kanamori]

I support legalizing it because it gets rid of competition in the job market and keeps me employed. Toke away you freakin stoners!!!

Because I don't have straight A's and I'm totally unmotivated.

And beyond that, as I've said, I don't want to be forced to breath that crap in when I'm out and about.

That is irrelevant to the question of legalizing. For it to be made legal does not require that you let everyone smoke it in public or use it while driving, which would be stupid.

Clearly that alcohol is there and is a factor- but again its not the primary reason for it.

That is neither recognized legally, nor socially.

No. Absolutely not. Addiction starts in small amounts Strike.

Weed is no more addictive than video games or reading a book. I do not wake up in the morning and feel like crap unless I use it.


Smoking up is an action which does not limit anyone elses freedom, unlike things such as murder or fixing stocks. Still, I have not seen any good arguments why everyone should lose their freedom.

[Kaiser of Arabia]

we *could* deport potheads to the Netherlands, they'd be happy.